


Mercy

by thegaygladers



Category: Archie Comics, Archie Comics & Related Fandoms, Riverdale (TV 2017)
Genre: Asexual/Aromantic Jughead Jones, Bisexual Archie Andrews, Canon Universe, Fluff and Angst, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-02-16
Updated: 2017-02-16
Packaged: 2018-09-24 22:08:50
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,745
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9789218
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/thegaygladers/pseuds/thegaygladers
Summary: Archie Andrews habitually had his head consumed by thoughts of someone – but where usually that someone was auricoumous or possessed tresses the black of tar, today they had a canopy of disheveled dark hair, adorned always by a whoopee cap.





	

**Author's Note:**

> PLEASE READ  
> 0\. I recommend you listen to "Mercy" by Shawn Mendes while reading this. it's sad. Hence the name.  
> 1\. it's really fucking weird writing fan fiction about comic books I used to read as a child  
> 2\. but this is based on the comic AND up to episode 3 of Riverdale  
> 3\. A zucchini is used to refer to a person who is in a relationship consisting of strong emotional bonds that fall outside of the typical romantic relationship but are also more than just friendship - as described on Urbandictionary.com. The word was originally coined by the ace/aro community to refer to their "partners".  
> 4\. Again, this was really fucking weird  
> 5\. good news: grundy doesn't exist  
> 5\. This is my first time writing an ace character after a hell of a lot of research and asking my ace/aro friends. If I did something wrong, please tell me, but nicely or else I will cry. thanks.  
> 6\. Yes, it is called "Pop's chocklit" in the comics.  
> 7\. ??? Enjoy, I guess. Also cry.
> 
> EDIT; I wrote this right before episode 4 aired so I had no idea Jug is homeless. Take this as a small twist in canon, I guess?

The sun was setting, and the posse was at their daily hangout, Pop’s Chocklit.

Looking in, they seemed to be enjoying themselves - they were celebrating the victory of the Friday evening’s football match.

On a closer inspection, the situation wasn’t nearly as perfect – while Betty and Veronica sat sharing laughter and exchanging anecdotes, there was a tension between them - thick with something neither of the boys could discern. Both girls’ lipsticks were a bit smudged, the smears negligible but there regardless.

And then there was Jughead Jones, who seemed to be the most relaxed and tranquil of them all that evening - chomping down on a deluxe burger platter and simultaneously playing games on his phone. Occasionally, though, his eyes fell - unconsciously and with immense worry - on a certain redhead; who seemed to be curling in on himself and looking painfully conflicted -

Archie Andrews.

Archie Andrews, who habitually had his head consumed by thoughts of someone – but where usually that someone was auricoumous or possessed tresses the black of tar, _today_ they had a canopy of disheveled dark hair, adorned always by a whoopee cap.

Finally, Jughead snapped.

“Arch? Care to walk me home?” he asked, in the most casual way he could. He was met with three equally shocked pair of eyes.

“Are you willingly leaving Pop’s?” Veronica wondered aloud, her eyes wide. “Jughead, you okay?”

“Yeah, I’m… fine. Just feel a bit sick,” Jughead replied, though none of his friends looked convinced. Especially not Archie, who looked more than a little uncomfortable as their eyes met. “I just need Archie to drive me home.”

“I actually didn’t bring m-”

“Then I’d prefer not to _walk_ alone.”

Betty, finally taking her eyes off Veronica for longer than a second, interrupted.

“Should I-”

“No, that’s fine, Betts,” Archie cut her off, not looking at her and never breaking the gaze he had fixated on his best-friend.

Without saying another word, he walked out of the café, clearly but tentatively expecting Jughead to follow – which the boy did, after a friendly nod at his other two friends.

“What was _that_ all about, dude?”

“I could ask the same, Archie.”

“Can I stay over at yours tonight?”

The sudden request took Jughead by surprise, and so he abandoned his pursuit to get answers out of his friend and instead let what could’ve passed as a smile seep through on his face.

“Of course. It'd be just like the old times. My parents are out for the weekend, too,” when Archie looked up at him strangely, Jughead rectified, “So you can tell me what the _hell_ ’s up with you, in peace, you know.”

“That’s. That sounds okay. Except there is nothing to tell.”

“Yeah, okay.”

“Don’t do that.”

“I didn’t do _anything_!”

“Don’t do that thing where you talk like you know me better than I know myself.”

“It’s true, and you'd do better to accept it, Red,” Jughead _actually_ smiled this time, and Archie only realized how long it had been since he’d done that when his whole body warmed up and a beam appeared on his own face in response.

They didn’t say much else on the way to Jughead’s, and their smiles were eventually again replaced by solemnity.

It wasn’t until they were safely inside the residence and in their pajamas (Archie borrowed one of Jughead’s – they were tiny but he was used to it) that they finally spoke again.

Archie flopped down on the bed and Jughead did the same on the beanbag on the floor, and “So?” Jughead asked.

“I have nothing to say, Jug. It’s just the Betty and Veronica thing again,” Archie shrugged, a bit too dramatically, “You know how I am.”

“I do.”

“Good Night, Jug.”

Archie then closed his eyes in a vain attempt to fall asleep, but with Jughead’s wide- _awake_ stare burning into his skin with such vigor, it was absolutely hopeless.

“Okay, fine!” Archie sat up, his eyes still shut. He was biting his bottom lip – way too hard, Jughead thought, it was starting to turn red. “I was wondering if- if-”

“What is it, Arch?” Jughead got off the beanbag and walked over to his friend, gently pulling Archie’s lips and teeth apart with his fingers, an unexpected and intimate gesture that took both boys by surprise.

Archie eased himself from Jughead’s rather light grip and walked to the part of the room farthest from the other boy.

 “Are we friends, Jug?”

“Of course we are, Arch-,” Jughead started, and then his featured twisted the slightest bit, “Unless- unless you don’t _want_ to be. Is _that_ what this is about?”

“ _What?! No!”_ Archie said, his eyes snapping open; he looked insulted by such a suggestion. _“Why would you-”_

“Because I _know_ I’m difficult to be friends with, and stuff, Arch. What with my general detachment from people and my cynicism or my constant eccentric behavio-”

“No, Jug, no, stop talking like that!”

“What _is_ it, then!”

“You _are_ difficult to be with,” Archie said, closing his eyes again, unable to will himself to look at his friend’s hurt, and trying to control his own, “That _is_ what this is. But it’s _not for the reason you think_.”

Jughead didn’t reply, not even when Archie opened his eyes and looked at him anxiously.

“It’s because-,” Archie continued, giving up. Jughead had his head in his hands now, “It’s because I’m in _love_ with you, Forsythe Pendleton Jones, damn it!”

Jughead looked up at him in disbelief, and impossibly more hurt than before. Archie realized Jughead probably thought he was being made fun of.

“I know I’m always talking about Betty and Veronica and other girls and I have spent pretty much no time with you recently, but it was _because_ I was _realizing_ that, Jughead,” Archie walked toward his friend, and took the boy’s face in his hands. Jughead flinched and withdrew.

“Don’t touch me,” he said.

“I know you don’t believe me, Jughead. God, you have absolutely no _reason_ to,” Archie got to his knees so his face was directly in front of Jughead’s. “But I am _not_ lying. I love Betty. I also love Veronica. But I… I love you most, Jug. I love you _differently_. I loved _you_ first and I will always. If there's anyone I can imagine being with forever, it's... it's you.”

Jughead looked up, tears in his eyes. Their faces were centimeters apart. Jughead pulled away a little. There was no way to tell whether he believed Archie; he looked wanly.

“And you don’t even believe me. Why can’t you believe someone loves you, Jughead?”

“I – Archie – I can’t-”

“And _this_ is the worst part. _This_ is what hurts the most. _This_ is what makes it _difficult_ to be with you, Jughead -  the fact that if, one day, you _do_ believe me – even _then_ – you will never love me back. Not in the way I want you to. And I can never blame you for it - it’s not your fault. And _that_ kills me, Jug. It kills me because sometimes, I _want_ you. In ways you can never imagine. In ways I can never have you. And it makes me hate myself.”

Something in Jughead’s eyes told Archie that he believed him then, understood him, and for a moment, it made things better.

“I can’t give you the answer you need, Archie.”

“I know. God, I know, Jughead,” Archie said, his voice breaking, choked. “I’m sorry I’ve dragged you into this mess. Sorry sorry sorry.”

Maybe two boys cried that night.

“I’m sorr-”

“Don’t you _dare_. This is my fault, and I will have to…” Archie wiped at Jughead’s eyes though his own blurred vision, “I love you. I love you more than you can ever imagine. But it's not your fault and not your problem to fix and I promise I’ll never bring this up ever again.”

“Don’t.”

“What?”

“Don’t never bring this up again. It’s not like I can forget it, Archie,” he turned away, and murmured, “It’s not like I want to.”

“What?”

“I love you, too, damn it! You know that, don’t you? You’re the only person I have ever felt anything for! I- I know it’s not enough. And I know that it’s not in the way you want, or deserve, Archie. But you also know how selfish I am,” Jughead paused, as if trying to find the right words, “So please don’t leave me.”

Tears escaped him again as he wrapped his arms around his friend - his _best_ friend - so tightly it was as if he were holding on for his life. He had never been this close with anyone. Ever.

“I won’t,” Archie said, “I can’t. And you're not... never... selfish.”

“I am. Because even though I can’t be what you need,” Jughead clutched the back of Archie’s shirt in frustration aimed at himself, “I need you to stay with me because you are what  _I_ need. Everything I _want_. And I feel like I’m emotionally blackmailing you.”

“Jughead, I'd stay even if you beat me up and locked me in your cellar every day,” Jughead winced, and looked up at Archie as if Archie were insane. “But I promise this is nothing like that! And… I’m sorry, too. I need you, too. And we will figure this out. I promise.”

“Promise,” Jughead smiled, and let go of Archie, “... Do you wanna sleep?”

“Oh. Um, are you sure? I don’t think… You don't have to...”

“You idiot,” Jughead shook his head, his voice amused but still croaky from crying. He stroked a strand of his friend’s hair away from his eyes. “We’re not going to _do_ anything.”

His countenance finished his sentence for him. _We’re not going to do anything… _ **ever**__.

Jughead took Archie’s hand and pulled both of them more comfortably onto the bed - they had often shared it, throughout their childhood. This situation was entirely different, but somehow, as familiar to both of them as the sun and moon.

Jughead realized he didn’t hate being with Archie in this way. He didn’t feel anything he thought he was “supposed” to, but for the first time in an eternity, he felt completely protected. Safe. He felt at home as Archie cautiously slid his arms around him, asking for permission. Jughead realized how he could never even _think_ of anyone else ever being this close to him. And he nodded slowly.

“I love you,” he said to Archie, and he meant it in every way he knew.

“You _know_ you don’t have to do th-”

“I _want_ to do this, Archie.”

Jughead would tell that small lie a thousand times over, just so he could see the smile Archie answered it with one more time. And he would go through the aching it caused him.

And it wasn’t that much of a lie, either.

“Hold still,” Jughead said after a while, swallowing nervously, "I want to try something."

“Jug, really, please don’t do anything you’re not comfortable-”

Jughead shook his head; all he really _wanted_ was for Archie to be happy – what it took didn’t matter.

“Archie, do _you_ want this?”

“All the time.”

Archie said it so naturally, Jughead had to take a moment to comprehend it.

“Then stop worrying about how I feel for a second.”

Archie didn’t reply as Jughead slowly placed himself on top of the redhead, spanning his waist. Jughead swallowed again, and lifted Archie’s shirt up to where his rib bones ended.

And then he trailed with kisses the dark red hair that lead to Archie’s navel; felt the skin beneath his lips tense.

“I can’t!” Archie screamed quietly; sitting up.

“You can’t what?”

“I _can’t_  just stop worrying about you.”

“Don’t you like it, Arch? I read about this in -”

“Yes! Holy shit, Jughead, yes!” Archie ran a hand through his hair, exhaling shakily. “Of _course_ I liked it! That was the best I have ever felt. But I can’t have you doing this for _my_ sake. I know you don’t want it.”

“Archie.”

“You don’t have to do anything for me. Okay? Nothing you don’t want to do. I’m sorry if I ever made you feel that way. I'll say this over and over until you understand it.”

Jughead regarded Archie in a way then that put everything around them in black and white – the look held intensity such that it was almost an embrace; such that humans have hungered to share with their lovers for centuries.

But Jughead Jones and Archie Andrews weren’t lovers.

Jughead guided Archie’s body back down on the bed and then he lay down beside him. Archie’s eyelids fluttered shut.

“I would’ve kissed you if you hadn’t done that,” he said.

Jughead turned so he and Archie were facing each other directly.

And then Jughead kissed _him_.

It was as if Archie felt it through the parts of Jughead his body was pressed against – he knew his friend didn’t want him to kiss back.

When Jughead pulled away a few seconds later, his face was flushed and Archie’s eyes looked almost crazed as they revealed his dilated pupils; he was panting softly.

“That was…” Archie started breathlessly.

“I hate that I can’t give you more,” Jughead said as he pulled his best friend even nearer. They were “cuddling”, so to speak - Jughead’s chin was resting on Archie’s head, and Archie’s ears were close enough to Jughead’s chest to be able to hear the boy’s erratic heartbeat.

“You don’t need to,” Archie said after a while, his voice still low but now also tinged with content, “This is enough.”

Jughead laughed, and Archie looked up with surprise.

“What? Was that too sappy?”

“No, no,” Jughead continued chuckling quietly; his whole body shook against Archie - making the redhead feel things he tried his hardest to ignore. It didn’t work, and he knew his friend could feel it, too – but Jughead was master of nonchalance. His body had stiffened a little, however, “It’s just… It’s your hair. It… It smells like waffles.”

“What!”

“Maybe that’s why Hotdog likes you so much,” Jughead whispered, shuffling down so he was facing Archie again, “...And maybe that’s why I do, too.”

“Jug…”

“I _love_ you, in fact.”

The way he said it, Archie knew Jughead was also apologizing for what he was unintentionally doing to him and how he couldn’t satisfy Archie in the way Archie yearned.

“I love you, t-”

“And I can’t believe you called me Forsythe. _Pendleton_!”

“Wh-”

Jughead covered Archie’s mouth softly with his hands, his signature grin back in place.

“That was a true betrayal, Red!”

“I didn’t even reali-”

Jughead rolled his eyes.

“Stop cutting me off!”

“I didn’t even say anything this time.”

“You rolled your eyes!”

“Not _verbally_ , Archiekins,” Jughead smirked playfully, “Although, honestly, you warrant it sometimes.”

Archie hoped they would always be like this. Joking. Teasing. Happy. He hoped it would always be the two of them. Together.

“You’re a dick, Forsy-”

“Don’t you dare, asshole.”

“Fine. You’re a dick, Juggie.”

“And you’re a zucchini, Archie.”

“Hey! That's uncalled for. You know I h-”

Jughead smiled fondly and pressed his forehead against Archie’s, their legs intertwined. The closest they would ever get. The closest they would ever need to be.

“You’re _my_ zucchini.”

“If you say so. But this special offer nickname is limited to you!” And then Archie smiled, too, and they were okay.

Everything had changed, but everything was _okay_.

“Let’s make a vow,” Jughead whispered, his eyes never leaving Archie’s.

“I can steal your hamburgers from here on in?”

“That no girl will ever come between us again.”

“Jughead, no girl has _ever_ come between us, _ever_.”

“What about Betty? Veronica?”

“Jughead, you know they’re both very important to me – I would die for them. But they were never replacements for _you_.”

“Because one of me is enough?”

“One of you is way  _more_ than enough. I can’t imagine the torture of being in love with two Jug-”

“Are you really?”

Despite the events of the day, Archie could safely say he’d never heard Jughead sound so serious. He'd never seen the boy's eyes look so _sad_.

“I thought we established that an hour ago.”

“I’ve known you since we were kids, Archie. I’m used to your pranks and jokes.”

“Then you should know this isn’t one,” Archie said, and then communicated something with his eyes – Jughead nodded slowly.

Archie planted a soft kiss on his friend’s forehead.

“You’re my zucchini, too.”

**Author's Note:**

> 8\. ARCHIE'S HAIR CANONICALLY SMELLS LIKE WAFFLES, AS SAID IN BETTY AND VERONICA (2016 version) #1!  
> 9\. Hotdog is Jughead's dog  
> 10\. did you catch the beronica/ barchie references ;) ;)


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